Hexgarde
Hexgarde is the southeastern most country in Achadia. It is ruled over by six separate baronies of varying family lines and affiliations. No one baron would trust any of the others with power that would come from its rich mineral deposits, fertile farmlands, and nearly endless supply of slave labor that comes from the nearby island prison of Bu'taal and the oppressed peoples within its own borders. Those who live well do so very lavishly, those who do not, do so in destitution. The gap between the rich upper class and the impoverished lower class is only compounded by the strict boarder laws that prevent immigration to and from the country, and the use of credit-based paper money payments that each Barony prints for its own distribution making it nearly impossible for any family, slave or not, to acquire usable wealth. Founding: Baronies: Macabre: As old families go, the Barony of Macabre can be said to date back to the beginning. Its founder is an enigma, a man shrouded in darkness. Many wonder if he truly exists at all. It is said that this mysterious man is the progenitor of the vampire disease, porus hemophilia. All of those serving the Macabre family have contracted the disease, or work for someone who has it. Among the noble families of Macabre, only one is not directly tied to the Sanguine Brotherhood, the officially recognized pure vampire bloodline. This family has made its fortune as hired help on jobs ranging from theft to assassination. A phrase many have taken to saying when Macabre is involved is, "Best to wait til morning." Gestal: The Gestals can trace their lineage back to the original king of Hexgarde before the monarchy collapsed soon after the Dragon Crusade. While they have no greater claim to the throne now than any other baron family they take pride in their noble lineage. Baron Midas Gestal rules over this house and practices incest to keep the bloodline of the Gestals pure. Currently his cousin, Fillia rules by his side as the Baroness and has given Midas three sons who have taken control of the three minor houses under the Gestal banner: House Lucerne, House Brashe, and House Richter. Each of these houses controls a different section of the Gestal's mighty agricultural empire. They grow food crops, but the majority of their fields are planed with cash crops such as tobacco, peas, beans, and opium poppies. Piedmont: The Piedmont family took their position by force in 909 3E. A mysterious ship docked at the harbor, the concern of the former Baron, Coslef de Laine. He took a regiment of soldiers to the docks to investigate what he believed to be a ghost ship that had drifted ashore after an attempt at the Straight of Splinters. What he found instead was an angry mob of Bu'taalian escapees who quickly slaughtered the unsuspecting soldiers. By the time a backup regiment got to the brutal scene the man who led the attack, Michell Piedmont, produced papers that proved he was part of one of the de Laine branch families. After a brief respite in the de Laine dungeons, the documents were verified by the High Council Chambers of Everes. Upon receiving the seal of approval, Michell placed himself at the head of the now-named Piedmont house and has been there ever since. Their family controls the eastern border and has a monopoly on most commercial fishing, and transport. Tibur: The Tibur family was founded on the backs of thousands of slaves after the Dragon Crusade. After the great war, the land found itself in need of iron, gold, copper, and other precious metals. Vensik Tibur was an old explorer who knew the mountainous passes and rolling hills of Hexgarde better than anyone else. As demand for metal rose, many others attempted to mine for these resources. Tibur watched, and began to compare his exploration maps with maps he had begun to craft that marked the locations of large deposits other people were finding until he located an area he believed to contain a motherlode of gold. When his suspicions were confirmed, he immediately hired a thousand slaves from the Wiess family. The two of them made a partnership that would last centuries to come -- unofficially named the "Blood and Gold Concordant." After the initial find of gold, Tibur began to buy up abandoned mines that he believed held potential and eventually created an intricate series of interconnected tunnels that he named the Rockway. The Rockway still exists today and is the single largest producer of precious and practical metals in Achadia. Vaelshafte: The Vaelshafte family is run by a former Highborne Magister named Ansel Vaelshafte. He was once a prominent figure in Highborne politics until his reputation was damaged beyond repair in a sex scandal that destroyed his house from the inside out. Salvaging what remained of his pride, Ansel began his life anew by tricking the former Baron Laehugh out of his position in return for support in a military coup that never happened. This landed Laehugh and his entire family at the chopping block for treason while Vaelshafte remained decidedly innocent. Vaelshafte now makes his fortune by buying, selling, and storing magic artifacts and antiquities. He has even gone as far as opening a museum to the occult for use by the general public for a small fee. While not necessarily the richest of the six barons, Vaelshafte has made himself nearly untouchable by providing an otherwise unavailable service, and endearing himself to the lower class by holding lotteries that award food. To provoke Vaelshaft is to provoke the might of the masses. Wiess: Possibly the most recognizable family in Hexgarde, the Weiss family has its fingers in many pies including financing for the Bu'taal Project, the 388 Brigade, and the Justice League of Everes. All of these ventures were called "investments in the name of social justice." On the surface, this family keeps its appearance clean, but those who are versed in the seedy underbelly of Hexgarde know that the Weiss family gained their wealth and power by buying and selling slaves. They were even said to have done dealings with the Highborne during the Dragon Crusade. In exchange, the Highborne left their families untouched and even allowed them certain privileges like access to magical equipment that would better serve their slave-driving business. Today, Baroness Elaina Wiess rules this house with an iron fist, and a cracking whip. Her cunning and beauty is only matched by her cruelty and blatant disregard for others.